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MVHS senior offered over $500,000 in scholarships from 15 schools

Mia Vaquero image with colleges.
MVHS senior offered over $500,000 in scholarships from 15 schools

Mia Vaquero, senior at Mount Vernon High School, is graduating with a 90.71 in June 2023. She has committed to John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a full-ride scholarship. She plans to major in criminal justice with the hope of becoming an FBI agent. 

She will be the first person in her family to pursue higher education. Mia’s family is from Mexico, and they had to work constantly to make ends meet. She saw how hard her parents worked for her, and it inspired her to find something that she will enjoy while providing for her family. 

Her favorite accomplishment from her time in high school was achieving the Principal’s Honor Roll. After being diagnosed with a learning disability, Mia had to work harder than her peers to achieve the same success. In her freshman year, she struggled and did not get good grades. Despite this, she spent hours studying to ensure that she graduated at the top of her class.

To stay ahead, Mia has attended after school classes and worked closely with her teachers to ensure high grades. Mia attributes some of her success to her teachers helping through the complex college application process. She was worried about getting financial aid but had the support needed to apply and receive it.

“Since we have Dr. (Pauline) Pearce as our principal now, it’s definitely helped,” said Mia. “She has built workshops to help us fill out FAFSA, how to choose colleges and how to get more money for college. And I have many teachers who helped me with my scholarships, essays and honors programs.”

Mia also donates her time by helping at food pantries and handing out food for the church to support the community.

Mia was accepted into 15 schools, received five full-rides and was offered a cumulative $500,000 in scholarships. 

When she was little, she never imagined being able to tell people she got into 15 schools, and now she has the opportunity to go to college for free. 

MVHS students attend Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit
MVHS students attend Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit

Mount Vernon High School students attended the Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit on Saturday, November 16, 2024, hosted by White Plains Hospital and in partnership with the national organization Black Men in White Coats. The goal was to inspire students of color to enter the field of medicine and allow them to network, receive mentorship, and participate in hands-on activities. Each student received a gift bag that included a stethoscope

Two students talking to a representative from a table.
Career and Technical Education hosts National Apprenticeship Week Fair

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MVHS students stage mock trial of Andrew Jackson in IB History class
MVHS students stage mock trial of Andrew Jackson in IB History class

On Monday, November 18, 2024, students of Cesar Olivares’ History of the Americas class produced the second installment of their trials of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States. Every student in Mr. Olivares’ class participated in the mock trial by playing the roles of judge, jury, prosecutor, defense attorney and notable people in Andrew Jackson’s life.

Students read A Tale of Two Cities and discuss reading
Students read A Tale of Two Cities and discuss reading

Students in Cesar Olivares’ tenth-grade Global Studies class at Mount Vernon High School are focusing on improving their reading comprehension skills by engaging with complex texts. On Thursday, November 8, 2024, Mr. Oliveras and his students had an engaging conversation about the importance of reading and challenging themselves whilst they read the classic novel “A Tale of Two Cities,” by Charles Dickens.